Drum Brakes

View Topic

Brakes that work properly are essential to your safety as you drive and stop on our Gilberts streets. You want to carefully maintain your brakes. In vehicles equipped with drum brakes, the brake components are housed inside a drum that rotates with the wheel. When you step on the brake pedal, brake shoes push out against the inside of the drum, slowing the wheel.

Now brake shoes just wear away with use from rubbing on the drum as you brake. When it's time to replace brake shoes, it's a straight-forward repair.

If you hear squealing or grinding when braking, have your Gilberts service advisor check them out. He'll have a technician perform a thorough brake inspection to see what needs to be done. He'll check for signs of brake problems and go over other brake components to see that they're working properly.

He can tell you if it's time to replace the brake shoes or if there are other issues with your brakes that should be addressed. Some people in our Gilberts community ignore the warning signs and keep driving long after the shoes are completely worn out. When that happens, metal brake components will grind against the drum, damaging it enough that it has to be resurfaced or replaced.

When you push on your brake pedal, the wheel cylinder is activated and it pushes the shoes against the drum to slow the vehicle. This cylinder, and various springs within the brake, can wear out affecting your ability to stop. The worn components can be easily replaced.

The new brake shoes we put on your vehicle will restore your brakes to manufacturers' specifications. Or, we can install upgraded parts to increase your stopping power and reduce brake noise and brake dust. We have several options to meet your braking requirements and your budget.

Taking care of your brakes keeps them working safely – and you could prevent premature brake repairs down the road.

Some vehicles have disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on the rear. A thorough brake inspection will uncover any maintenance or repair issues that need to be addressed to keep you stopping safely. If you are hearing unusual sounds when you brake or if your pedal is too hard to push or has a mushy feel, bring it in for a brake inspection right away. At Braasch Automotive in Gilberts, we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 847.428.5511 and let us help keep you safely and economically on the road.